title: Native ion current coupled to purinergic activation via basal and mechanically induced ATP release in Xenopus follicles.
abstract: Xenopus follicle-enclosed oocytes are endowed with purinergic receptors located in the follicular cell membrane; their stimulation by ATP elicits an electrical response that includes generation of a fast inward current (F(Cl)) carried by Cl(-). Here, it was found that mechanical stimulation of the follicle provoked a native electrical response named I(mec). This was dependent on coupling between oocyte and follicular cells, because I(mec) was eliminated by enzymatic defolliculation or application of uncoupling drugs, such as heptanol or carbenoxolone. Moreover, the characteristics of I(mec) suggested that it corresponded with opening of the Cl(-) channel involved in F(Cl). For example, I(mec) showed cross-talk with the membrane mechanism that activates the F(Cl) response and anionic selectivity similar to that displayed by F(Cl). Also like F(Cl), I(mec) was independent of extracellular or intracellular Ca(2+). Furthermore, I(mec) was inhibited by superfusion with a purinergic antagonist, suramin, or by an enzyme that rapidly hydrolyzes ATP, apyrase. The response to mechanical stimulation was reconstituted in defolliculated oocytes expressing P2X channels as an ATP sensor. Recently, it has been shown that ATP release from the Xenopus oocyte is triggered by mechanical stimulation. Together, these observations seemed to indicate that I(mec) is activated through a mechanism that involves oocyte release of ATP that diffuses and activates purinergic receptors in follicular cells, with subsequent opening of F(Cl) channels. Thus, I(mec) generation disclosed a paracrine communication system via ATP between the oocyte and its companion follicular cells that might be of physiological importance during the growth and development of the gamete.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saldaña
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garay
authors.forename: Gisela Edith
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.forename: Luis Manuel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Rogelio O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Arellano
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001081:Apyrase / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000378:metabolism; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013498:Suramin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; C102630:connexin 38; D013498:Suramin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D001081:Apyrase; D002118:Calcium